It all depends on your perceived effort and your own competence. Tempo runs are quite uncomfortable, just a little slower per mile than a person's 10K pace. Obviously we don't know how much a chore this was for you.

Did you have a break after each change in speed? Or was the whole run continuous?

I'd call it a progressive run. I do similar 10min at 12,13,14,15 km/hr and 10 min cool down. When I am at work a treadmill is my only option and I can't be arsed with shorter intervals, too much faffing about with speeds unless you can programme the thing. As 10 at 15 km/hr is fine I am switching a minute each time to 16 km/hr ie 9,10,10,10,10,1 until start pace is 13, halfway there.

Thanks for the advice, so because I completed the run on a treadmill it doesn't really sit as a tempo, mainly because I am controlling what effort I put in as oppose to being outside and pushing myself for twenty minutes or so ?

Your not a pain at all. I've had....and will continue to have many questions about training.

But don't think of a tempo run as really pushing yourself.........just uncomfortable, but the pace is usually planned. My next tempo run is Monday. I'm hoping to do 5.25 miles in 31 mins 30. Not quite 10K race pace for me, but still a little tough!

I'd find that more than a little tough Jamie! Maybe 35 min. what is your 10 k time? My tempo runs are longer, I train for marathon/ ultra so tempo is 8 mile with 1 warm up 1 warm down.
Nothing wrong with sessions on a treadmill fk - do you set it to an incline?

I must admit, I don't do any treadmill work.......and marathons and ultras are not something I've attempted yet. I only took up running competitively last year, hopefully have a few years left to attempt the savages of those challenges.

10k pace is too fast for a tempo in my opinion. A tempo run is designed to stimulate your lactate threshold with the result hopefully being able to run faster before lactic acid starts building which will make you slow eventually. i.e the rate of lactate production from the muscles exceeds the rate at which your body can clear it.

10mile race pace is more appropriate. and a continuous run of between 20 & 40 mins is a good workout. or just break it up a bit if your new to tempo's . like 2 x 15mins with 2 mins slow jog in between or even 5 x 6mins with 60 secs recovery.

As for the OP, just use two speeds, warm up and warm down pace being the same. so maybe 15mins@ 6.5mph, 25mins @ 8mph, 15mins @ 6.5mph. *modify speeds as appropriate to you.

Seb it is normally mid way between HM and MP. Might stick a faster mile in the middle or if I have routed a hill then I maintain the pace.
I only use the treadmill as I work offshore so it is the only option!
Nice 10k time Jamie, I haven't quite cracked 40 min yet - but I don't train for 10k and I'm old! (Well 45 which I think is in my prime!) last 10k was over a year ago and managed 42min. Good luck with your sub 36:30.

Thanks Jeremy, 2013 is a very tough year for me. In March I'm after a sub 36:30 10K, in May I'm hoping for a sub 60 min 10 mile, in July I'd like a sub 5 min mile and in November a sub 1:20 half marathon.

I'm getting exhausted just writing it . I'll let the forum know which targets I succeed on.......and those I fail on too!! You've got to have goals......

Previously bookmarked threads are now visible in "Followed Threads". You can also manage notifications on these threads from the "Forum Settings" section of your profile settings page to prevent being sent an email when a reply is made.

Runner's World is a publication of Hearst Magazines UK which is the trading name of The National Magazine Company Ltd, 72 Broadwick Street, London, W1F 9EP. Registered in England 112955. All rights reserved. Runner's World, Part of the Hearst UK wellbeing network